After Qingchen left, the steward brought Song Yue the medicine that had been prepared in the kitchen and replied, "Sir, Lord Shen has already left. Lord Shen bought some candied fruit, but I didn't dare to accept it, so I let him take it with him."

The bowl of medicine was dark and somber, just like the one he drank when she took him to the clinic. Back then, she had spent ages begging Cheng Yi for something to relieve his bitterness, simply because he had casually mentioned that it was bitter.

"Would you like me to bring some candied fruit, sir?" the butler asked.

Song Yue shook his head. "No need, you can go now."

The smell of medicine wafted through the air. Zhao Qiran sniffed it, frowned, and said, "It smells really bitter."

Song Yue didn't say anything, but picked up the bowl and drank the medicine.

After watching him finish his medicine, Zhao Qiran said, "By the way, as you suggested, I already sent the letter to Lan Tan yesterday. That kid is doing a good job as a commander. He's only been there a short time but has already been given important responsibilities, and the soldiers he leads are quite respectful of him."

"Mm." Song Yue put down the bowl and nodded.

In truth, this was all thanks to Qingchen.

Lan Tan was originally a centurion in Yongping Guard. Later, he came to the Eastern Palace and distinguished himself in the horse race against the Chagatai Khanate. He performed bravely in the race and thus made a contribution. The court rewarded Qingchen, and naturally, he was among those rewarded. So Song Yue petitioned to promote him to chiliarch and sent him to Kaiping Guard, an important border town.

He was originally a military officer, and returning to the garrison felt like a wild horse returning to its grazing land—incredibly comfortable. Furthermore, he had his own unique methods for leading troops and deploying them, which quickly caught the eye of the commander, leading him to take charge of the most elite thousand-household unit. Now, in Yongping Garrison, he was considered a prominent figure.

Zhao Qiran added, "That kid is lucky. You saved him and gave him a chance to show his skills. Don't worry, he'll take good care of the Gu family when they arrive."

The Gu family's property was confiscated, and Gu Shaoheng and others were sentenced to border service—this decree could not be changed. All Song Yue could do was to make arrangements early on to send them to the Kaiping Guard where Lan Tan was stationed. Life at the border was harsh, and given that they were criminals, having someone look after them would make their lives easier.

As a cabinet minister, although he faced numerous court duties every day, he did not forget these details. In particular, Gu Shaoheng was Qingchen's best friend.

"Tell Lan Tan to give Gu Shaoheng a chance to make a name for himself. I want Gu Shaoheng to return to the capital within three years."

"Okay, I'll explain everything to him. Sigh, you're all alone, with only one body, yet you're thinking about everything in the world. It's no wonder you're getting sick." Seeing his face growing paler and his lips as white as paper, Zhao Qiran quickly stopped talking. "I won't say anymore. You should lie down and rest."

People who are less prone to illness tend to have more severe illnesses once they do get sick. Song Yue felt extremely heavy-headed, his whole body ached and felt weak, and his body was burning hot. Zhao Qiran helped him to the bedside, and he immediately lay down.

His eyes were closed, his Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and the candlelight illuminated his face, giving him a captivatingly handsome appearance.

Soon after, Song Yue fell into a deep sleep and even had a dream.

He dreamt of his father, who was writing a memorial impeaching Xu Yan by lamplight all night long. He was focused and resolute, but as he wrote, he suddenly collapsed and never got up again. He lay on the ground, and his clothes were suddenly stained with blood, starting from his chest and gradually turning the entire garment red.

Then came a great fire, the crimson flames gleaming with the cold light of swords, and mournful cries. Overnight, his home was reduced to ruins, then to ashes.

Later, Song Yue dreamed again of his wedding. The hall was filled with festive red, and he and his beloved wife were bowing to each other. Relatives and friends stood around, laughing and chatting, creating a lively atmosphere. After the three kowtows, he helped her to her feet, and she lifted her veil, looking at him with a radiant smile.

Upon seeing her face, he was suddenly startled. The person under the veil was not Qingchen, but Consort Zheng!

She said to him with all her charm: You are mine.

He gripped her arm tightly and asked where Qingchen had gone. She only answered softly:

He died.

Chessboard Street faces the market, bustling with pedestrians and filled with flying dust.

The setting sun shone on the teahouses along the street, their blue cloth banners fluttering in the wind.

In a private room on the second floor sat a distinguished guest, dressed in a royal blue fitted robe, leaning back in his chair. He was gazing down through the window, his handsome features and indifferent expression on his face. He picked up a covered bowl with one hand and took a small sip.

Soon, several luxurious carriages arrived one after another, and the guests had finally all arrived.

Xu Silin, who was seated at the head of the table, sat up straight, put down his covered bowl, looked at everyone, and said, "Greetings, esteemed sirs."

Four elderly men in their fifties and sixties waited for a while, but seeing that no one else came in, they looked at each other in bewilderment. One of them spoke first: "Where is Grand Secretary Xu?"

"My father is unwell and did not come today," Xu Silin said unhurriedly. "To be honest, I invited everyone here today."

The old men exchanged glances again. In their minds, this young Master Xu, though the heir of the Xu family and a key figure in the future of the Xu faction, was now nothing more than a cynical playboy.

These men were the Minister of Personnel, the Minister of Justice, the Vice Minister of War, and the Vice Minister of Revenue. He, a mere probationary official in the Hanlin Academy, secretly arranged to meet them in his father's name.

What exactly does this child want to do?

"I wonder if your father, Grand Secretary Xu, knows about what Young Master Xu did today?" the Vice Minister of Revenue asked.

If he weren't Xu Yan's beloved son, these high-ranking officials wouldn't even bother to say anything more to him. The fact that they didn't leave immediately was out of respect for Grand Secretary Xu.

"What we're discussing today has nothing to do with him, so why should he know?" Xu Silin smiled slightly and asked in return.

The Vice Minister of Revenue was short-tempered. Upon hearing this, he felt that the young man was playing a trick on them. He immediately slammed his hand on the table and said, "Nonsense! I have some things to attend to. Young Master Xu, I cannot keep you company any longer."

"The Huaihe River transport costs 300,000 taels of silver a year," Xu Silin said slowly, glancing at him sideways. "It allows your maternal uncle to live a very comfortable life. You know very well how much land and shops he bought for you to collect rent. If you don't want the job of managing the transport, I can give it to the other three gentlemen here."

The man paused for a moment, then frowned and sat down again. "What exactly are you trying to say?"

"Not leaving?" Xu Silin crossed his arms and looked around. "Is there anyone else who wants to leave?"

After waiting a while and seeing that no one seemed to be leaving, he raised an eyebrow. "That's right. Gentlemen, this is how it should be when discussing serious matters."

Over the years, although Xu Silin hadn't been heavily involved in Xu Yan's schemes, Xu Yan would still tell him about the Xu faction in order to groom him. This naturally included who the main figures in the Xu faction were, what their interests were connected to the Xu family, and what leverage or weaknesses they held that they could use to coerce or manipulate them.

In the past, when Xu Yan spoke of these things, he always appeared indifferent, because he was too lazy to listen or care. But because of his good memory, these things were imprinted in his mind. Now, they could be put to his use.

The high-ranking officials exchanged glances, and finally the most senior official, the Minister of Personnel, spoke up, "You have invited us here today, what is your purpose? Please speak frankly."

“It’s very simple. The Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate has retired, and the position is now vacant. We need you all to jointly recommend me for this position.” As he spoke, he picked up his covered bowl and took another sip. “This is a small matter, and I believe it will not be difficult for you gentlemen.”

A silence fell over the room. After a long pause, the Minister of Personnel finally spoke: "The Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate is a fourth-rank official, while you, young master, are currently only a Junior Secretary in the Hanlin Academy. I'm afraid..."

"You all should still remember, right? During the reign of the late emperor, there was a Jinshi named Qin Pan who served as a Shujishi for only three months before being recommended as the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, which was also a fourth-rank official position. Since there is a precedent to follow, what do you all have to worry about?"

"...But the young master has not yet achieved anything, so it would be difficult to write a suitable reason for recommendation..."

Xu Silin pursed his lips, took out a booklet and tossed it onto the table. "I've thought of something for you. This is a proposal I wrote, which includes suggestions for reforming the Ministry of Works. Han Yuanshu, who looks down on everyone, has already read it."

Qingchen was skilled in water conservancy engineering, but Xu Silin did not neglect his studies while observing government affairs. Influenced by her, he read many books on the subject, and because he had resources that Qingchen could not match, he was able to grow more quickly. Therefore, the reform measures he proposed this time even surprised Han Yuanshu, that stinking rock in the latrine.

"Also, the dike in Huairou is about to be built, and new river channels need to be constructed to control the silt," he continued. "However, some people are building dams and dikes along the river and reclaiming farmland, which is delaying the silt control. I had someone investigate, and those fields and houses either belong to you or your subordinates. After you go back today, have them demolish them immediately to ensure the smooth progress of the dike construction. I have already promised Han Yuanshu on this."

"With these two points, you will have a reason to recommend him."

The high-ranking officials present were all taken aback. They had thought he was just acting on a whim and wanted to use the excuse of not having a reason to recommend him to decline his application. However, they did not expect that the young man in front of them had already made comprehensive preparations.

For Xu Silin, with a father who was the Grand Secretary, getting an official position shouldn't have been difficult at all. However, he still had to maintain appearances of avoiding suspicion, so it was inconvenient for Xu Yanlai to make the recommendation, which is why he brought in these people.

He didn't tell Xu Yan about this either. Firstly, he wanted to test how these people really treated him, and secondly, he was confident in himself, believing he had a greater talent than Xu Yan in understanding and controlling people's hearts.

Why should we help you?

"Lord Zhou, what I just said to you was to ask you to stay and listen carefully to what I have to say. Of course, I won't ask you to help me for nothing. The annual revenue from the Huaihe River transport is 300,000 taels, and I can give you an additional 100,000 taels."

The man frowned upon hearing this and fell into deep thought.

Xu Silin smiled and continued to the other two, "Lord Fang, your nephew will collect the salt tax for one county in Henan Province this year. Lord Ji, our Xu family will give you the tea tax for one county in Yunnan. I don't need to say how much these are worth; you two know better than I do."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Vice Minister of War quickly replied, "I am not interested in the benefits promised by Young Master Xu. I will not participate in this matter."

He said this partly out of genuine feeling, and partly to deliberately put Xu Silin in a difficult position and test him. He wanted to see what abilities this young man possessed, and whether he was worthy of their future following, like Xu Yan.

Xu Silin smiled faintly, “I know that Lord Yuan has never been interested in wealth. But we are all just ordinary people, and no one dares to say that they have no desires. Those who do not seek wealth often seek power, and those who do not seek power often seek fame. Lord Yuan regards money as dirt, but he must have been planning for the position of Minister of War for a long time, right?”

“Only when you become Minister will you truly be in charge of a ministry, a proper high-ranking official. In your family history, Minister is a much more prestigious title than Vice Minister. You are sixty years old this year; if you don’t put in some effort now, you may have no hope for this position in your life,” Xu Silin said. “The current Minister of War is about to retire, and you should be the one to fill the vacancy. But if my father recommends someone else, your sure thing will slip away.”

Vice Minister Yuan stared at him for a while, his old eyes unblinking. In this young man, he could vaguely see a ruthlessness inherited from Xu Yan. After a long while, he only uttered one sentence, "I hope he will surpass his master."

At this moment, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel spoke up again, “Young Master Xu, I can grant your request. But I do not want the salt tax of a county. I am already a minister, and I neither seek power nor fame.”

Xu Silin smiled faintly, his eyes revealing a hint of unruliness and disdain. "Whatever you desire, sir, please tell me."

"I want you to marry my daughter and form a marriage alliance with my Zhou family."

Upon hearing this, Xu Silin raised an eyebrow slightly. He stood up, walked to the man surnamed Zhou, and pressed his shoulder, saying, "Old man, my wife is not someone anyone can be. If you don't want your daughter to suffer all kinds of grievances here, wishing she had never entered the Xu family, I advise you to give up this idea as soon as possible."

Let alone the daughter of a Minister of Personnel, even if his father had gone to great lengths to find him the daughter of the Duke of Ying, he would not want her.

In this life, that place is reserved for that special person.

Minister Zhou frowned and looked up at him, but the person beside him had already raised his hand and left, his profile showing utter indifference.

As the sapphire robe disappeared by the door, it left behind only a light, fleeting sentence:

"Gentlemen, it's a pleasure to cooperate with you."

...

Once outside, Xu Silin's smile vanished.

As he walked toward the carriage, the scene of Qingchen visiting Song Yue flashed through his mind. Her eagerness to go, her thoughtfulness when buying candied fruit, her disappointment after being turned away... all of this was captured in his eyes, and he knew that she had probably fallen for their teacher.

Song Yue was a Grand Secretary, while he himself was merely a junior scholar without any official rank. In terms of official position, he was indeed far inferior to his teacher.

He originally didn't care about power. Having grown up in a powerful family, these things didn't hold much appeal for him. Sometimes, he even felt bound by the fate of the Xu family and the responsibility of inheriting Xu Yan's mantle, which made him somewhat unwilling and felt that these things restricted his freedom as a human being.

But after witnessing that scene yesterday, his thoughts changed.

Because it seems that what he likes about Qingchen is precisely power. She likes being an official, and she likes Song Yue, who holds a high position—all of these are related to power. Thinking about it, it's actually quite normal; what woman in this world doesn't like these things? He just hasn't realized it yet.

Therefore, Xu Silin thought about it for a long time last night and orchestrated today's scene.

He no longer wanted to stay in the Hanlin Academy, nor did he want to address her as "Lord Shen" as a subordinate. He wanted to seize power and become even more powerful than Song Yue.

He wanted to get into the cabinet as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, Shen Qingchen, who holds the position of Xu Silin's primary wife, is on her way to the Song residence.

Today, Song Yue was still on her mind. She barely rested during her shift, working tirelessly to do her job well and improve efficiency to save time. After her shift ended, she hurriedly left the court again.

The setting sun cast its light on the straight avenue, where people came and went, dust swirling in the air. Everyone seemed to be in a hurry, rushing towards their own goals. She was no exception, only wondering if she would see Song Yue today.

The calls of street vendors hawking their wares caught her attention. She walked over and bought a snack from one of them.

It's her favorite stir-fried hawthorn.

She had eaten with him when they bought New Year's goods, and he had also cooked for her himself during their short stay in the suburbs of Beijing.

The sweet and sour taste is probably the best way to remove the bitterness of medicine.

Qingchen stared at the paper package in his hand, thinking as he walked. He hadn't accepted the candied fruit from yesterday, and he wondered if this package would reach him today.

When Qingchen arrived at the gate of the Song residence, he saw a carriage parked by the gate. It did not belong to the Song family, but it looked somewhat familiar.

She knocked on the door, and the doorman went to fetch the steward.

When the steward saw her, he simply said respectfully, "It's Lord Shen."

"Steward Li, I'm here again... I wish to visit Lord Song." She said slowly, feeling a nervousness that feared she might speak too quickly, yet was not yet prepared for rejection.

The steward seemed to hesitate for a moment before saying, "Lord Shen, your timing is still unfortunate today. Lord Song has taken his medicine and just rested. He should be asleep by now."

"Is he asleep again..." She turned to look at the carriage parked to the side, and asked, "Is his illness any better?"

"Don't worry, Lord Shen, he's much better now," the steward said. "His fever has subsided a bit."

"That's good..." Qingchen hesitated for a moment, then raised the paper package she was carrying. "Could you please give this to him for me?"

"this……"

Lord Song had originally instructed that the person should simply leave and not accept anything. The steward, however, took it upon himself to accept the gifts. He, as a servant, didn't know what had happened between the two officials, but seeing Lord Shen come to the door for two consecutive days and be refused so easily, he seemed rather heartless.

He took the item from Qingchen's hand and said, "Lord Shen is very kind. I will definitely pass it on to Lord Song on your behalf."

A slight smile finally appeared on Qingchen's face. "Thank you, Manager Li."

The butler nodded slightly. "Lord Shen, there's no need for you to be so polite."

"Well... I'm leaving."

"Please take care, sir."

“…Hmm.” Qingchen wanted to say something more, reluctant to leave like this, but in the end, she said nothing.

As she passed the carriage, she wondered, if the guests had already gone to bed, why hadn't they left yet?

As she walked, she watched the sunset on the horizon, the chilly spring breeze caressing her cheeks.

A moment later, it seemed as if some dust got into her eyes, making her feel uncomfortable, and her eyes began to moisten slightly from the irritation.

Overnight, the two seemed to have grown worlds apart, and she no longer even had the right to care about his condition.

Upon reflection, it seems there was no more special relationship between them than that of teacher and student. They had kissed, but she was still no one. He was his teacher, his Grand Secretary, while she was merely his student, his subordinate. This androgynous woman was neither his wife nor his concubine, nor even his lover.

By what right does she concern herself with him and question why he won't see her?

She had foreseen from the very beginning of the relationship that all these conflicts would eventually occur.

But she was still willing to go.

...

Inside the study of the Song residence, Song Yue and the Duke of Dingguo sat on adjacent armchairs.

Last night, he suffered from a persistent high fever, but it has subsided somewhat today, and Song Yue's spirits have barely recovered. However, after sweating all night, he is still a little weak, and he is still wearing a crane cloak draped over his back.

Dingguo Gongzheng scooped a bowl of soup from the jar he had brought and handed it to Song Yue, saying, "My daughter knows that the Grand Secretary is ill, so this is a nourishing soup that she personally prepared."

"No need, I just took my medicine..."

"Why must Your Excellency's good intentions be expressed through a bowl of soup... This nourishing soup has been simmering for three hours, and my daughter has been tending to the stove for three hours. Please make do with a sip."

Looking at the bowl of soup and his father with his white hair, Song Yue thought of He Ying, who was already being summoned to death by the underworld. Finally, he picked up the bowl and took two sips. "Thank you, Duke."

"I've come to see you today, Grand Secretary, because I have a favor to ask." Dingguo frankly recounted the matter of He Ying and Zheng Hong. "My son is too upright. He originally wanted to rid the Ming Dynasty of corrupt officials, but I never expected this unexpected incident to occur. I thought the Court of Judicial Review would come to arrest him soon, but there has been no movement so far. I don't know what the Emperor is thinking. But I suspect that Consort Zheng will not let this go. Grand Secretary, you are astute. I have come today to ask you for a good plan to save my son's life..."

His eyes were filled with worry, and the wrinkles on his face appeared even more pronounced in the afterglow of the setting sun.

Facing this father, who was over sixty and had spent his entire life working hard for his daughter, Song Yue didn't know where to begin. After thinking for a moment, he decided to tell him the truth: "To be honest, Your Majesty has issued an imperial decree to me regarding this matter, instructing me to persuade you to hand over He Ying."

"Hand it over? What does this mean?" Duke Dingguo suddenly became nervous, his hands hanging at his sides trembling slightly.

"A life for a life."

He was stunned. "...So, His Majesty has sent the Grand Secretary as an intermediary?"

"Um."

Upon hearing this, the Duke of Dingguo slowly rose, supporting himself on the back of his chair. Then, he suddenly knelt down, his expression filled with sorrow, and said, "The court is corrupt. He Ying was devoted to the public good, yet he has come to this end. He is my son, whom I have raised with great care for over twenty years. How can I just hand over his life like this? I beg you, I beg you to save my son's life..."

As soon as he finished speaking, a tear slid down his cheek.

Song Yue stepped forward to help him up, his pale lips parting slightly as he said, "Duke, please get up..."

...

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the Duke of Dingguo left. Song Yue sat alone in a chair, silent, his eyelashes drooping.

The butler came in, brought him a new pot of hot tea, and placed down the paper package that Shen Qingchen had asked him to deliver.

Song Yue looked up at the paper package. "What's this?"

"Reporting to Your Excellency, stir-fry hawthorn berries."

He paused slightly, "She's here."

"Yes. Lord Shen just came to visit you again, and I told him to leave as you instructed."

"……Um."

"Lord Shen said that the roasted hawthorn berries can neutralize the bitterness of the medicine. Would you like me to open the paper package for him?"

Song Yue was silent for a moment, then replied, "No need."

The next day, Qingchen went to meet Xu Yan as instructed in the letter.